A child restraint system, also referred to as a child car seat, is used for safely transporting a child within an automotive vehicle, so as to minimize the risk of injury to the child in the event of an accident. The design of the child restraint system is based upon the size of the child. A typical rear-facing infant seat is designed for an infant up to about 11 kilograms (about 25 pounds) and comprises a removable carrier that is coupled to a base securely installed in the vehicle. As the child grows, a forward-facing seat is recommended and is typically designed for a child between about 9 kilograms (about 20 pounds) and about 20 kilograms (about 45 pounds). A typical car seat for older children is a belt-positioning booster seat and may be designed for a child between about 18 kilograms (about 40 pounds) and about 45 kilograms (about 100 pounds).
To assist in the proper installation and adjustment of the child restraint system, it is proposed to equip the system with one or more sensors coupled to an electronic control unit. The sensors detect conditions to alert the adult operator if the child restraint system is not properly installed in the vehicle, or not adjusted properly for the child. The aforementioned related patent applications describe several sensors for measuring relevant conditions to determine that the child restraint system is properly installed and adjusted. For example, improper adjustment may be indicated by a weight sensor that alerts the adult operator when the child is not within the recommended weight range for the particular child seat. Also, sensors may also be provided to determine proper tension for tethers or belts that secure the child restraint system within the vehicle, and proper orientation and attitude of the child restraint system.
In the event an accident involving the vehicle transporting a child, data relating to the installation or adjustment of the child restraint system may be useful in assessing possible injury to the child. Therefore, a need exists for storing data relating to data relating to the installation or adjustment of the child restraint system and obtaining the data from the electronic control unit at a later time, for example, following a vehicle accident.